Driving means for rotating combustion chambers



March 195] R. H. GODDARD 2,544,418

DRIVING MEANS FOR ROTATING COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Filed March 22, 1947 L T INVENTOR.

I11 2 1 jomzm. eoddawgmad ESE/4% c. qodakrzd, m w jg. 5: BY 6/. F ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 6, 1951 DRIVING MEANS FOR ROTATING COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Robert H.

Md., by Esther C.

ter, Mass., assignor o Guggenheim Foundation, New

tion of New York and Florence York, N. Y., a corpora Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis,

Goddard, executrix, Worcesf one-half to The Daniel Application March 22, 1947, Serial No. 736,441

This invention relates to combustion chambers as used in propulsion apparatus, and relates more particularly to combustion chambers of the rotating type.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide improved means for rapidly rotating such combustion chambers.

To the attainment of this general object in the preferred form, provision is made for utilizing a portion of the combustion gases in two reactive stages. More specifically, the invention contemplates the use of separate sets of fixed and rotating turbine blades coacting with auxillary reaction nozzles mounted on and rotating with the combustion chamber.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of portions of a rotating combustion chamber having this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an irregular transverse sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the combustion chamber wall, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a combustion chamber C is mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and combustion gases at relatively high pressure are developed within the chamber C in the usual manner, as shown generally in the prior Goddard Patent No. 2,395,403, issued Feb. 26, 1946.

A two-part volute manifold is mounted on the combustion chamber C and receives combustion gases under pressure from the chamber C through a series of peripheral outlets l2 (Fig. 3). These outlets are preferably formed in outwardly displaced portions ll of the cylindrical wall l (Figs. 3 and 4) of the combustion chamber C.

The volute manifold portions l0 and II terminate in auxiliary nozzles and 2|, each of which is curved transversely with respect to the manifold to discharge its combustion gases against an adjacent series of turbine blades 24 or 25. The nozzle 2|! is curved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, and discharges against the 1 Claim. (01. 60-41) the diametrically opposite nozzle the right and discharges against blades 24, while 2| is curved to the blades 25.

Each set of blades 24 and 25 is mounted between shroud rings 21 and 28 and the outer rings 28 are rigidly supported in any convenient manner, while the inner rings 21 have clearance with respect to the rotating cylinder 0.

A set of movable turbine blades 30 is mounted on the cylinder C to rotate with the cylinder and adjacent the fixed blades 24. These blades are provided with an outer shroud ring 3| and an inner shroud ring 32. A similar set of movable blades 34 are mounted on the cylinder C to rotate closely adjacent the fixed blades 25 previously described.

The operation of the device is as follows: Combustion gases under pressure are delivered through the openings l2 to the volute manifolds l0 and I which rotate with the chamber C. The

gases are discharged from these manifolds through the auxiliary nozzles 20 and 2|, which divert the gases and discharge them more or less parallel to the axis of the combustion chamber C.

The discharged gases strike the fixed turbine blades 24 and 25, producing a strong rotational reaction, and the discharge of the nozzles 20 and 2| in opposite axial directions balances the axial thrust. As the gases leave the fixed blades 24 and 25, they encounter the blades 30 and 34 which rotate with the chamber C. The speed of rotation of the chamber C is thus further increased by the reaction which then takes place between the redirected gases and the movable blades 30 and 34.

Operating as above set forth, the driving mechanism herein shown rotates the combustion chamber efiiciently and at high speed by the use of relatively simple devices, all parts of which are fixed to the combustion chamber or occupy fixed positions coaxial therewith.

Having thus described the invention and the advantages thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what is claimed is:

In propulsion apparatus, a rotatably mounted combustion chamber, and driving means for rotating said chamber comprising a two-part manifold mounted on and encircling said chamber, a pair of auxiliary nozzles rotating with said chamber and manifold and spaced substantially apart and separately terminating the two parts of said manifold and angularly positioned to discharge the combustion gases at substantial axially-inclined lateral angles, reversed with respect to the plane of rotation of sa1 d nozzles, 21 separate annular set 01' fixed turbine blades mounted axially adjacent the path of rotation of each nozzle outlet and coaxial with said rotating chamber, said fixed blades receiving the gases discharged by said nozzles and reacting with said gases to rotate said chamber, and

means to supply combustion gases under pressure from said chamber to said manifold, the nozzles 01' each auxiliary pair discharging in opposite axial directions and thereby balancing the axial thrusts of said nozzles, and a separate set of blades rotatable with said combustion chamber being provided adjacent each set of fixed blades and coacting therewith.

ES'I'I-IER C. GODDARD, Executrir of the Last Will and Testament of Robert H. Goddard, Deceased.

namancns man UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,279,128 Lake Sept. 17, 1918 1,348,103 George July 27, 1920 1,960,810 Gordon May 29, 1934 2,154,481 Vorkaut Apr. 18, 1939 2,424,610 Goddard July 29, 194'! FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 445,550 Great Britain Apr. 9, 1938 469,180 Great Britain July 20, 1937 536,238 Great Britain May 7, 1941 476,033 Germany May 8, 1929 

